100 Islands

Aitutaki in the Cook Islands has one of the world's most beautiful lagoons—One Foot Island and gin-clear turquoise. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most perfect lagoon.

Ascension Island offers green turtle nesting, Wideawake Terns, and equatorial South Atlantic isolation. Selected for our World 100 as the Atlantic's most unique wildlife island.

Baa Atoll in the Maldives is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where Hanifaru Bay hosts one of the world's largest manta ray aggregations. Gin-clear lagoons, overwater villas, and pristine reefs define the atoll. Selected for our World 100 as the finest Maldivian atoll for both luxury and marine life.

Bora Bora in French Polynesia is the archetypal tropical paradise—turquoise lagoon, Mount Otemanu, and luxury overwater villas on the Society Islands. Snorkeling, diving, and Polynesian culture combine in one of the world's most photographed destinations. Selected for our World 100 as the ultimate overwater island experience.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an Australian territory—pristine atoll, great frigate birds, turtle nesting. Selected for our World 100 as the Indian Ocean's most remote Australian island.

Cocos Island (Costa Rica) is a UNESCO uninhabited island with schooling hammerheads and whale sharks—accessible only by live-aboard. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's greatest uninhabited dive island.

The Faroe Islands offer dramatic cliffs, grass-roofed houses, puffin colonies, and UNESCO fjords. Selected for our World 100 as the North Atlantic's most dramatic archipelago.

Fernando de Noronha in Brazil is UNESCO-listed—spinner dolphins, sea turtles, and pristine Atlantic archipelago. Selected for our World 100 as Brazil's greatest island paradise.

Funafuti in Tuvalu is one of the world's most remote nations—a disappearing atoll on the climate front line. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most poignant climate destination.

Ha'apai in Tonga offers humpback whale mother-calf snorkel and uninhabited pink-sand atolls. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's premier whale-swim destination.

Ilulissat in Greenland has the UNESCO Icefjord, icebergs as tall as buildings, dogsled, and aurora. Selected for our World 100 as the greatest Arctic island destination.

Lord Howe Island limits visitors and has Balls Pyramid sea stack—one of the world's rarest island experiences. Selected for our World 100 as Australia's most exclusive and pristine island.

Malaita in the Solomon Islands has traditional lagoon villages, artificial islands, and shark callers. Selected for our World 100 as Melanesia's most culturally rich island.

Niue is the world's smallest self-governing island nation—chasms, coral arches, and turtles. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most unique raised atoll.

Praslin in the Seychelles holds the Vallee de Mai UNESCO site—home of the coco de mer palm. Anse Lazio is often ranked among the world's best beaches. Selected for our World 100 as the Seychelles' most iconic nature island.

Palau's Rock Islands are UNESCO limestone mushroom islands with Jellyfish Lake and WWII wrecks. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most iconic limestone archipelago.

Santa Cruz in the Galápagos is the gateway to giant tortoises, the Charles Darwin Research Station, and the unique wildlife that inspired evolution theory. Ecuador's Pacific archipelago remains one of the world's greatest natural laboratories. Selected for our World 100 as the heart of the Galápagos experience.

South Georgia has a king penguin colony of 500,000, elephant seals, albatross, and Shackleton's grave. Selected for our World 100 as the Antarctic region's greatest wildlife island.

St Helena is Napoleon's exile island—the most remote inhabited island in the world and home to the endemic wire bird. Selected for our World 100 as the Atlantic's most remote inhabited island.

Svalbard at 80°N has polar bears that outnumber humans, glaciers, and midnight sun. Selected for our World 100 as the world's most accessible High Arctic archipelago.

Tanna in Vanuatu offers Yasur active volcano at night, custom villages, and John Frum cargo cult. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most dramatic volcanic and cultural island.

Tristan da Cunha is the most remote permanently inhabited island—about 240 people and no airport. Selected for our World 100 as the world's most isolated community.

Anguilla has Shoal Bay and 33 pristine beaches—luxury seclusion and no mass tourism. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most exclusive and serene island.

Hawaii's Big Island has active lava flows, Mauna Kea stargazing, and black, green, and white sand beaches. Selected for our World 100 as the most geologically dramatic Hawaiian island.

Christmas Island is famous for red crab migration, robber crabs, and Abbott's booby. Selected for our World 100 as the Indian Ocean's greatest wildlife migration island.

Dominica is the "nature island"—boiling lake trek, Trafalgar Falls, and sperm whale capital. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's premier eco and adventure island.

El Hierro is a UNESCO Biosphere with Mar de las Calmas marine reserve and dragon tree forest. Selected for our World 100 as the Canaries' most sustainable and diving-focused island.

The Falkland Islands have penguin colonies, sea lions, and albatross in the remote South Atlantic. Selected for our World 100 as the South Atlantic's premier wildlife archipelago.

Formentera is Ibiza's quieter neighbor—Ses Illetes transparent sea and hippie markets. Selected for our World 100 as the Mediterranean's finest beach island.

Heimaey in Iceland's Westman Islands was half-buried by the 1973 eruption and is the puffin capital of the world. Selected for our World 100 as the most dramatic volcanic recovery story.

Iceland is a volcanic island nation with geysers, aurora, glaciers, and Landmannalaugar rhyolite. Selected for our World 100 as the world's most dramatic island nation.

Kauai's Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Hanalei Bay form a Jurassic-scale landscape. Selected for our World 100 as Hawaii's most visually stunning island.

Komodo Island in Indonesia is the only home of the Komodo dragon. Pink Beach, coral-fringed coasts, and the Flores Sea make it a unique blend of wildlife and diving. Selected for our World 100 as the only place to see the world's largest lizard in the wild.

Lifou in New Caledonia has the Pacific's largest UNESCO lagoon, pink sand, and endemic birds. Selected for our World 100 as the French Pacific's most beautiful lagoon island.

Majuro in the Marshall Islands holds WWII history, Bikini Atoll UNESCO, and classic atoll and reef life. Selected for our World 100 as Micronesia's most historic atoll capital.

Maui offers the Road to Hana, Haleakala crater sunrise, and whale watching January–March. Selected for our World 100 as Hawaii's most varied and romantic island.

Mayotte has the second largest barrier reef lagoon, hammerhead nursery, turtles, and dhow culture. Selected for our World 100 as the Indian Ocean's finest French island.

Moorea's heart-shaped volcanic profile, dolphin watching, and stingray snorkeling make it the ideal Society Islands complement to Tahiti. Selected for our World 100 as French Polynesia's most accessible paradise.

Nauru is the world's third smallest nation—phosphate mining moonscape and isolated Pacific. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most unusual and fragile island nation.

Nosy Be off Madagascar is the "perfume island" (ylang-ylang) and a whale shark hotspot October–December. Lemurs, vanilla, and Indian Ocean beaches define this accessible Malagasy paradise. Selected for our World 100 as Madagascar's premier island destination.

Palawan in the Philippines has been named World's Best Island by travel magazines. El Nido's limestone karsts, Coron's wrecks and lakes, and Puerto Princesa's underground river showcase the country's finest nature. Selected for our World 100 as the most biodiverse and dramatic Philippine island.

Paxos is a tiny Ionian jewel with olive-fringed sea caves and anti-Paxos boat days. Selected for our World 100 as Greece's most intimate and unspoiled island.

Providenciales in Turks and Caicos has Grace Bay's infinite turquoise and the third largest barrier reef in the Caribbean. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's finest beach and reef island.

Reunion Island has Piton de la Fournaise active volcano, Piton des Neiges at 3,070 m, and cirques. Selected for our World 100 as the Indian Ocean's most dramatic volcanic island.

Rodrigues is Mauritius' last wilderness—kite surfing, endemic species, and Francois. Selected for our World 100 as the Indian Ocean's most authentic and quiet island.

St Lucia is defined by the Piton volcano twins rising from the sea, Sulphur Springs drive-in volcano, and sailing. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most dramatic volcanic island.

Stewart Island (Rakiura) in New Zealand holds 85% of the country's kiwi population and offers southern aurora and Foveaux Strait wilderness. Selected for our World 100 as New Zealand's last great wilderness island.

Tahiti is the largest of French Polynesia's Society Islands—Gauguin's muse, Teahupo'o surf, Faarumai waterfalls, and Papeete market. Selected for our World 100 as the cultural and geographic heart of Polynesia.

Tarawa in Kiribati was the site of the WWII Battle of Tarawa—equatorial atoll, Line and Phoenix Islands. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most historic atoll nation.

Tasmania offers Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires, MONA gallery, and quolls and devils. Selected for our World 100 as Australia's most diverse and wild island.

Vis is a remote Dalmatian island with Blue Grotto, Bisevo mussels, and Tito Cave bunker. Selected for our World 100 as Croatia's most authentic and secret island.

Yap in Micronesia is famous for stone money (Rai), manta rays at Yap Caverns, and Bechiyal Cultural Center. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most culturally unique island.

The Yasawa Islands of Fiji offer the Blue Lagoon caves, Sawa-i-lau limestone, traditional villages, and remote beaches. Selected for our World 100 as Fiji's most authentic island chain.

Antigua claims 365 beaches, English Harbour, Nelson's Dockyard, and sailing regattas. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's sailing and beach capital.

Barbados offers coral architecture, flying fish, Harrison Cave, and rum distillery tours. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most refined and historic island.

The British Virgin Islands offer the RMS Rhone wreck, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke's Soggy Dollar, and a sailing mecca. Selected for our World 100 as the world's premier sailing archipelago.

Cayo Coco in Cuba offers pink flamingos on the beach, unspoiled coral reef, and the cayeria norte. Selected for our World 100 as Cuba's finest resort island with nature.

Cayo Santa Maria in Cuba is a white-sand causeway island with all-inclusive resorts and coral reef. Selected for our World 100 as Cuba's finest north-coast resort island.

Corfu has Achilleion palace, old fort UNESCO, olive groves, and Paleokastritsa monastery. Selected for our World 100 as the Ionian's greenest and most historic island.

Corsica is Napoleon's birthplace, with Scandola UNESCO reserve and dramatic granite landscape. Selected for our World 100 as France's most rugged and beautiful island.

Crete holds the Minoan Palace of Knossos, Samaria Gorge, Balos lagoon, and raki. Selected for our World 100 as Greece's largest and most historic island.

Cyprus is Aphrodite's birthplace, with Troodos mountains, Paphos mosaics, and Akamas peninsula. Selected for our World 100 as the eastern Mediterranean's most mythic island.

Eleuthera in the Bahamas has the Glass Window Bridge where Atlantic meets Caribbean and is the world pineapple capital. Selected for our World 100 as the Bahamas' most dramatic and varied island.

Fraser Island (K'gari) is the world's largest sand island—freshwater lakes, dingo, shipwrecks. Selected for our World 100 as Australia's most unique coastal island.

Gozo offers Azure Window site, Xlendi Bay, salt pans at Marsalforn, and limestone rural life. Selected for our World 100 as Malta's quieter and more natural sister island.

Guadeloupe is butterfly-shaped in the Antilles—Soufriere volcano, Carbet Falls, and Creole culture. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most diverse French island.

Hvar in Croatia offers lavender fields, Fortica fortress, clear Adriatic, and celebrity yachts. Selected for our World 100 as the Adriatic's most glamorous island.

Ibiza is famous for club culture, sunset at Café del Mar, Es Vedra rock, and salt flats. Selected for our World 100 as the world's most iconic party and sunset island.

Ilha Grande in Brazil is an Atlantic Forest reserve—Lopes Mendes beach, no cars, Rio state. Selected for our World 100 as Brazil's most pristine and car-free island.

Jamaica blends Seven Mile Beach, Bob Marley culture, Blue Mountain coffee, and jerk chicken. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most culturally influential island.

Korcula is Marco Polo's birthplace—medieval walled town and moreska sword dance. Selected for our World 100 as the Adriatic's most historic island town.

La Gomera in the Canary Islands has Garajonay rainforest UNESCO site and the Silbo whistle language. Selected for our World 100 as the Canaries' most authentic and green island.

Lanzarote is a volcanic moonscape with Timanfaya lava, Jameos del Agua caves, and wind-sculpted art. Selected for our World 100 as the most otherworldly Canary Island.

Madeira offers levada walks, toboggan sledge, Blandy wine lodge, and botanical gardens. Selected for our World 100 as the Atlantic's most refined island destination.

Mallorca has Tramuntana UNESCO mountains, Valldemossa (Chopin), crystal coves, and cycling. Selected for our World 100 as the Mediterranean's most complete holiday island.

Malta is Valletta UNESCO capital, Hypogeum 5000 BC, and Azure Window legacy. Selected for our World 100 as the Mediterranean's most historic island nation.

Marie-Galante in Guadeloupe is an unspoiled sugar island—rum distilleries, Grand Bourg carnival. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most authentic sugar island.

Mauritius offers Seven Colored Earth at Chamarel, Ile aux Cerfs, and swimming with dolphins. Selected for our World 100 as the Indian Ocean's most complete holiday island.

Mykonos has windmills, Little Venice, Delos archaeology, and cosmopolitan Cyclades life. Selected for our World 100 as the Aegean's most glamorous island.

Oahu combines Pearl Harbor, North Shore Pipeline, Waikiki, and Diamond Head. Selected for our World 100 as Hawaii's cultural and surf capital.

Our Lady of the Rocks is an artificial island church in Montenegro's Bay of Kotor with a silver ex-voto collection. Selected for our World 100 as the Mediterranean's most iconic man-made island.

Saba in the Dutch Caribbean is the smallest island—lush volcanic peak and some of the best diving in the Antilles. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most dramatic tiny island.

San Andres in Colombia offers the Sea of Seven Colors—coral atoll in the Caribbean. Selected for our World 100 as Colombia's premier Caribbean island.

Santorini offers caldera sunset at Oia, white-dome churches, and black sand Perissa. Selected for our World 100 as the world's most romantic volcanic island.

Sao Miguel in the Azores features seven lakes, Sete Cidades twin crater, whale watching, and thermal baths. Selected for our World 100 as the Azores' most complete island.

Sardinia offers Costa Smeralda emerald water, nuraghe bronze-age towers, and cannonau wine. Selected for our World 100 as the Mediterranean's most varied and historic large island.

Sicily combines Mount Etna, Valley of the Temples, Taormina theater, and arancini. Selected for our World 100 as the Mediterranean's greatest cultural and volcanic island.

Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is two nations on one island—Maho Beach where planes land 10 m over sunbathers. Selected for our World 100 as the Caribbean's most unique dual-nation island.

Upolu in Samoa has Robert Louis Stevenson's grave, To-Sua trench swim, and fale by the ocean. Selected for our World 100 as the Pacific's most authentic Polynesian island.

Zanzibar combines Stone Town UNESCO heritage, spice tours, Nungwi beach, and dolphin snorkeling. Tanzania's island offers culture, history, and coast in one. Selected for our World 100 as the most culturally rich East African island.